Anyone experienced restaurant "deep clean" whilst eating?

[Colo Cruiser]

What would be the point of taking pictures? Its not like they are hiding anything and supervisors know they are cleaning.

[Loonbeam]

Also, there are scheduled inspections, surprise inspections, and (as I suspect may be the case here), inspections that should be a surprise that aren't really. It's entirely possible the crew heard about a more indepth inspection a day or two in advance..

 

As I understand it, there's a standard inspection and there are those that go much deeper (I think it depends more on who is doing the inspection). I remember speaking to a crew member about frenzied cleaning coming back into FL and them saying that another ship had told them the current inspection team was checking something not normally checked so they were double cleaning to be sure nothing was missed.

 

With scores being published on line, the cruise lines are super sensitive to such things now.

 

It still could have been handled better.

[SoCal Cruiser78]

I totally get your complaint. Oftentimes, the cleaning products are so pungent that you cannot enjoy your meal and the noise factor probably added to your lack of enjoyment...

 

It is too bad that the MDR guests were not advised upon entering with a sign that indicated heavy cleaning would occur after 8:30 that evening. That way guests wishing a less chaotic experience could go to the HC or IC to begin with as an alternate, perhaps with a free drink coupon issued to each for the inconvenience.

[notentirelynormal]

I think you guys are drinking the kool-aid. Come on. Do you really believe that they started cleaning during the beginning of dinner service? Seriously!

 

By all accounts so far, this couple liked to drag on dinner until the late night show, which is their right if the restaurant is open. It is inconceivable to me that they would take away all the station inventory, pull out vacuums, etc. while at the same time expecting an entire restaurant to have a half hour dinner. How would they even have time to take the orders and bring the appetizers, let alone the full meals?

 

I'm guessing OP saw the hours and read that as being "if you get there in time you can stay as long as you like" instead of "the hours are 8 to 5 not get there at 4:55 and stay another two hours or so after we are closed.

 

Give this some thought people. Does it really make sense. Cruises like to have you spend an hour to 1-1/2 hours for dinner. Does it make sense that within 30 minutes of dinner starting they start cleaning while you are eating. How many cruises have you guys taken where this scenario would ever happen? Never.... Okay, I mean never! So what is wrong with this picture?

[chengkp75]

Also, there are scheduled inspections, surprise inspections, and (as I suspect may be the case here), inspections that should be a surprise that aren't really. It's entirely possible the crew heard about a more indepth inspection a day or two in advance..

 

As I understand it, there's a standard inspection and there are those that go much deeper (I think it depends more on who is doing the inspection). I remember speaking to a crew member about frenzied cleaning coming back into FL and them saying that another ship had told them the current inspection team was checking something not normally checked so they were double cleaning to be sure nothing was missed.

 

With scores being published on line, the cruise lines are super sensitive to such things now.

 

It still could have been handled better.

 

There are not "scheduled inspections, surprise inspections, or inspections that go much deeper".

 

All USPH inspections are unannounced, and on a random basis. Having said that, the USPH tries to inspect every ship twice a year. This may or may not be possible due to ship's schedule, personnel availability, or budgetary constraints.

 

The only time that a USPH inspection will go "deeper" into things is if the inspectors find, during the inspection, serious violations and an effort on the part of the ship's staff to hide things from the inspectors.

 

Given the USPH's chartered mandate, which is not to protect the health of cruise passengers, but in reality is to prevent the introduction of infectious diseases into the US, cruise lines know that at the first US port after a ship has been away for a season, the USPH will try to schedule an inspection. This may not happen at the first US port call, since the USCG will also be looking to do a port state inspection, and the two cannot be completed on the same day. Hence the last minute cleaning a few days prior to a first US port call on this TA.

 

I agree with "normal" that this was not done at the start of dinner service, and that there would only have been a few customers remaining. As I stated to Hank, given the work hour restrictions placed on crew, this cannot be done completely outside of normal hours, or the crew and company would be liable for discipline. I still stand by my statement that massive cleanups are not necessary when proper management techniques are used by supervisors at all levels, and all crew have learned to embrace and live the culture of the USPH requirements on a daily basis, and not just as something that needs to be spit shined twice a year.

[Loonbeam]

Apparently, since the USPH crew is not always on site, ships tend to communicate the fact that they are at a given port amongst oneselves (the only 2 ports I think that have a full time crew are FLL and MIA)

 

Also, while there are standards and processes, there are some inspectors who are more thorough than others I suspect (based on my experienced with land based food service, this is certainly true). It's very easy to envision a scenario where a ship gets the word 'Oh carp, Bob is doing inspections at FLL this week, that man is obsessed with drains' or whatever.

 

And there are definitely some kind of scheduled inspections as evidenced 2 cruises ago where we were notified days in advance that boarding would be delayed 2 hours due to a scheduled CG health inspection.

 

 

There are not "scheduled inspections, surprise inspections, or inspections that go much deeper".

 

All USPH inspections are unannounced, and on a random basis. Having said that, the USPH tries to inspect every ship twice a year. This may or may not be possible due to ship's schedule, personnel availability, or budgetary constraints.

 

The only time that a USPH inspection will go "deeper" into things is if the inspectors find, during the inspection, serious violations and an effort on the part of the ship's staff to hide things from the inspectors.

 

Given the USPH's chartered mandate, which is not to protect the health of cruise passengers, but in reality is to prevent the introduction of infectious diseases into the US, cruise lines know that at the first US port after a ship has been away for a season, the USPH will try to schedule an inspection. This may not happen at the first US port call, since the USCG will also be looking to do a port state inspection, and the two cannot be completed on the same day. Hence the last minute cleaning a few days prior to a first US port call on this TA.

 

I agree with "normal" that this was not done at the start of dinner service, and that there would only have been a few customers remaining. As I stated to Hank, given the work hour restrictions placed on crew, this cannot be done completely outside of normal hours, or the crew and company would be liable for discipline. I still stand by my statement that massive cleanups are not necessary when proper management techniques are used by supervisors at all levels, and all crew have learned to embrace and live the culture of the USPH requirements on a daily basis, and not just as something that needs to be spit shined twice a year.

[pablo222]

90 minutes for dinner is totally reasonable. If the staff needed to begin a major cleaning operation by a certain time' date=' they should have calculated and closed the dining room 90-120 minutes before that cleaning needed to start. [/quote']

 

Closing a dining room early?!?!?!

 

That would have 'broken the internet' with the complaints here.

[chengkp75]

Apparently, since the USPH crew is not always on site, ships tend to communicate the fact that they are at a given port amongst oneselves (the only 2 ports I think that have a full time crew are FLL and MIA)

 

Also, while there are standards and processes, there are some inspectors who are more thorough than others I suspect (based on my experienced with land based food service, this is certainly true). It's very easy to envision a scenario where a ship gets the word 'Oh carp, Bob is doing inspections at FLL this week, that man is obsessed with drains' or whatever.

 

And there are definitely some kind of scheduled inspections as evidenced 2 cruises ago where we were notified days in advance that boarding would be delayed 2 hours due to a scheduled CG health inspection.

 

USPH inspectors fly to the ports and arrive early in the morning of arrival for the ship they are inspecting. The VSP program is headquartered in Miami, IIRC, which is why they are routinely there.

 

I'm afraid you are mixing your federal government agencies. Yes, the USCG will do an announced port state safety (SOLAS) inspection, but they have nothing what so ever to do with health inspections. USCG inspections are notified in advance because it takes the entire crew away from their normal duties on turn around day, and delays boarding. USPH inspections are not announced, for the simple reasons I gave above, that they want to see whether the sanitation culture is an everyday thing onboard. They do not announce them because it only takes a few supervisors away from their duties, and part of the inspection is to observe a meal service to witness operational practices.

 

There are generally only two inspectors to cover the entire ship, not only the galleys, food prep, provisions, and dining areas, but the pools and hot tubs, potable water system, medical center, laundry, hazmat storage, ventilation systems, records of sanitation for shower heads and backflow preventers, child care area, crew quarters, passenger cabins, cabin steward pantries, pest control, etc. USPH covers far more than food service, it generally covers all aspects of shipboard operation, short of the engines themselves. They are pretty pushed to get all areas inspected in the 8 hours they set aside for an inspection, and they all have a pretty standard routine to get everything done. When they see a problem, that's when they will start looking deeper.

 

And regardless of whether one inspector has a pet peeve or not, if an area is not up to standards, its not up to standards, whether the inspector looks closely at it or not. This is what I mean by the supervisors not embracing the culture of daily sanitation.

Edited November 20, 2015 by chengkp75

[temple1]

I totally get your complaint. Oftentimes, the cleaning products are so pungent that you cannot enjoy your meal and the noise factor probably added to your lack of enjoyment....not to mention, if your waiter was busy with other things, maybe he/she didn't have his/her attention on his service duties. Plus, if there were dirty buckets of water, I would question how clean his/her hands were when bringing my dessert, utensils, coffee, etc. to the table. YUK comes to mind. Unless he/she was constantly washing their hands in between serving and cleaning, this doesn't seem very sanitary to me.

Not trying to sound like a dictator here -- I have compassion for these people that work hard so we can enjoy our vacation but you did pay for this experience -- it doesn't sound as though it was a pleasant experience that you got...I don't think it wouldn't have been for me.

 

On Royal Caribbean when we took our first cruise after the introduction of My Time Dining, we were seated between the windows and the wait station. I think they had one person whose only assignment was to bang silver ware! My head was pounding by the time the meal was over.

Edited November 20, 2015 by temple1

[geoherb]

I think the maitre d' and head waiters should have planned better. At a minimum, it should have been possible to close off sections of the dining room for cleaning.

[notentirelynormal]

I think the maitre d' and head waiters should have planned better. At a minimum, it should have been possible to close off sections of the dining room for cleaning.

 

We don't know that they didn't. We need more info from the OP because something isn't right. Maybe the restaurant was closed. Clearly they couldn't take a hint and at the very least move.

[stoneharborlady]

If they could not accommodate you away from the cleaning smells, at the very least they could have comped you at a specialty restaurant for the evening.

[shredie]

We don't know that they didn't. We need more info from the OP because something isn't right. Maybe the restaurant was closed. Clearly they couldn't take a hint and at the very least move.

 

I agree with you that we don't have the full story. I guess OP is not coming back to tell us.

[pablo222]

I agree with you that we don't have the full story. I guess OP is not coming back to tell us.

 

Maybe they read the replies, didn't enjoy being called a liar,

and moved along?

[shredie]

Maybe they read the replies, didn't enjoy being called a liar,

and moved along?

 

Who said "liar"?

[Kinkacruiser]

Perhaps there should have been a sign at the MDR entrance to alert passengers to the fact that this would be happening. I perfectly understand the urgency in this situation on Princess' part.

[caribill]

A ship should be able to pass a USPH inspection at any time, if the management team is totally committed to proper sanitation.

 

There is a difference between "passing" and

 

As a ship's Officer he was feeling the pressure (from above) to get a perfect score. While the ship was always clean, it was never this clean :).

 

[chengkp75]

There is a difference between "passing" and

 

Going to continue to disagree. If there is pressure from upper management to make a perfect score, then that pressure should be a part of everyday operations. And a perfect score does not mean that the inspectors did not find any deficiencies, just that they were minor enough not to warrant a point deduction. If you go to the CDC VSP website and look at all the ships that scored 100, there will be a deficiency report and the corrective action report, for every one of them.

 

I'm sorry, but "cramming" a special cleaning for a USPH inspection would be similar to a ship not conducting fire and boat drills for months, until just before the suspected a port state inspection and then doing two or three on consecutive days.

 

Fostering and embracing a safety culture and a sanitation culture require the same level of commitment on the part of management and crew.

[Shogun]

Hi All

I ate in MDR almost ever night and never saw a deep clean

Yours Shogun

[caribill]

Going to continue to disagree. If there is pressure from upper management to make a perfect score, then that pressure should be a part of everyday operations. And a perfect score does not mean that the inspectors did not find any deficiencies, just that they were minor enough not to warrant a point deduction. If you go to the CDC VSP website and look at all the ships that scored 100, there will be a deficiency report and the corrective action report, for every one of them.

 

I'm sorry, but "cramming" a special cleaning for a USPH inspection would be similar to a ship not conducting fire and boat drills for months, until just before the suspected a port state inspection and then doing two or three on consecutive days.

 

Fostering and embracing a safety culture and a sanitation culture require the same level of commitment on the part of management and crew.

 

I agree 100% with you.

 

But even straight A students in school will cram that last night before an exam.